Page 40 of An Unending Claim
Among all of that, one more epiphany bloomed in my mind. Savannah had said I needed to know these things to make Peyton stay. I knew a portion of that pertained to addressing Peyton’s fears. But the other… Savannah had been confirming what I’d begun to suspect. Part of Peyton—the wolf in her—longed for a pack. A home and a family. The question was, could I draw out that side of her and show her that she wasn’t ruled by her panther traits? And even if I did, would her wolf DNA be strong enough to rid her of some of her wanderlust?
My musings were brought to an end when I heard the back door open and close, then the sound of the alarm being engaged. Normally, I would have been pleased with her for doing as I asked, but instead I felt anger sweep through me.
I pushed up from my chair and stalked into the living room where she was just turning away from the keypad. She would have shifted on the porch, but with the storm raging, rivulets of water slid down her naked skin from the melting snow.
My cock stirred and my wolf was practically salivating at the sight of Peyton. It didn’t help that even though the full moon had gone down this morning, the effects still lingered in our blood.
Peyton smelled my reaction and her eyes narrowed as she swung her gaze in my direction. She stood to her full height, brushed her wet hair back over her shoulders, and crossed her arms.
Her stance nearly mirrored mine, as if she were preparing to do battle, which would have been amusing if I weren’t so fucking furious.
“Should we talk about what you said in bed first? Or the fact that you broke your promise and ran out unprotected?” I seethed through clenched teeth.
Her chin lifted stubbornly, and I had a sudden urge to wrap a hand around her throat.
“I’m cold and wet. So how about you cool off while I go put on some clothes?” she replied.
She dropped her arms and stalked over, but before she could pass by, I grabbed both upper arms and pushed her against the nearest wall.
“We’re going to talk now, Peyton. I want to know what the fuck you were thinking running off like that. I thought we’d moved past that. You know it’s not safe and yet you put yourself and our cub at risk.”
Her expression darkened and she glared at me. “I knew there were eyes on me,” she argued.
“Did you?” My hands tightened as my head dropped so our faces were an inch apart. “Or did you hope you were right? Because I don’t remember informing you that there are guards on you even when we are together.”
“When did you start believing I was stupid, Nathan? You think I couldn’t spot them?”
“Did you?”
“Eventually.”
“Fucking hell, Peyton. Is this what the rest of my life is going to be like? Chasing your ass down every time you go running into danger? Having this same conversation over and over? Because I have to tell you, baby, I’m not going to do it.”
Emotion flashed in her emerald orbs, but it was quickly lost in the swirling gold flecks. “If that’s how you feel, then once we catch B, I’ll be on my way.”
“Over my dead fucking body,” I growled, moving one hand to her hip and the other behind her head to cradle her skull.
“I’m not a child to be looked after, Nathan King,” she snapped. “And before you threaten it, caging a panther will only get you mauled the next time you open it.”
“Baby—”
“I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “I won’t do it again.”
“Pardon?” She’d flipped so quickly I had whiplash.
“You should show me what happens when I don’t do as I’m told.” Her tone had taken on a husky timbre that went straight to my cock.
“Maybe I should—” I stopped, seeing the panic that had floated to the surface in her eyes, despite her attempt to disguise it. She was trying to seduce me in an effort to distract me from the real issue, and I’d been falling for it hook, line, and sinker. “Oh, kitty cat,” I purred as I brought our mouths within a breath of each other. “As much as I’d like to show you—once again—that I follow through with my threats, your attempts to distract me aren’t going to work.” My fangs elongated and I nipped at her lip, drawing blood. “But we’ll circle back to this later.”
I drew back far enough to see her whole face. She looked like a frightened kitten for half a second, then her whole countenance shifted to the confident, seductive badass she usually was.
“We’ll see,” she muttered. “Would you let me go now so I can get dressed?”
“I much prefer you naked, baby.”
“Well, I much prefer being warm while I’m being interrogated like a common criminal.”
I rolled my eyes at her dramatics—acting nothing like herself in another attempt at distraction. However, there were goosebumps all over her body and a small shiver wracked her.